Activities

On Wednesday May 20, the University of Waterloo Engineering Society hosted a Professional Engineers Speaker Panel at Quantum Nano Centre in University of Waterloo. The event gave Waterloo undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to ask questions about PEO, learn more about engineering as a career, and receive tips and tricks to balancing work and school life. The panel was moderated by Mechatronics engineering student, Awn Duqoum.

The panel featured four speakers from the Grand River PEO Chapter consisting of: Kaoru Yajima, PEO Past-Chapter Chair and Senior Project Engineer at the Region of Waterloo; Shailesh Shah, Design Engineer in City of Kitchener; Ammori Ganem-Mohamed, Civil Engineering Associate at Walterfedy and Erica Lee Garcia, current Chapter Vice Chair and Owner and Founder of Erica Lee Consulting and Engineer Your Life.

Together, these panelists delivered answers to questions such as, “How have your goals changed since leaving University,” “What soft skills are most important in an engineering workplace,” “How do you time manage,” as well as PEO specific questions including its Engineering Intern Program, and the process of obtaining Professional Engineer status.

The panel was followed by a networking session in which audience members got to exchange contacts with the speakers as well as hear more of their experiences.

Students left the event inspired by the speakers and highly satisfied with the answers they had gotten.

Many thanks from both the Waterloo Engineering Society and UW community of engineering students for the generous contributions of volunteer time and effort made by the speakers and their delivery of many thought-provoking answers!

Waterloo Engineering Society hopes it may welcome Grand River PEO Chapter members again for more exciting events in future terms!

PEO Grand River Chapter was privileged to participate in the 2015 Waterloo-Wellington Science & Engineering Fair held at Bingeman’s, Kitchener on April 7, 2015. The Fair is an annual event that brings together the best of the young scientific minds of the region. WWSEF is open to Senior Elementary and High School students from Waterloo Region, Wellington County, and Upper Grand District School Board. Grade 7 to 12 home-schooled or students from schools that do not run science fair programs were also invited as individual entries. The WWSEF is supported by the members of the community who encourage the development of our youth along scientific paths.

Approximately 220 projects involving over 300 students from about 30 different public, separate and independent schools in Waterloo Region, The Upper Grand District School Board, and Wellington County. The projects were placed into one of five Divisions – Biotechnology, Earth Science, Engineering Science, Life Science, or Physical Science. Within each of these Divisions the projects were further divided into one of three Categories, according to the grades of the participants – Junior (grades 7 and 8), Intermediate (grades 9 and 10) or Senior (grades 11, and 12). The projects and students were judged according to a national standard by over 120 judges from local schools, universities, colleges, businesses and industries volunteer.

About 70 students from different levels dropped by the Chapter’s booth and they were happy to receive a copy of a PEO booklet written for engineers-to-be and they enjoyed making their fancy buttons using Badge Button Maker Machine. Grand River Chapter of PEO attended to greet the visitors and provide insight into what needed to have the P.Eng. designation as a highest standards of engineering knowledge, experience and professionalism in the country. Additionally, tips and guidance were provided to students at different levels to help explore information regarding the current practice of professional engineering.

On Janaury 23rd, OACETT GVC put on an information seminar at Conestoga Rovers in Waterloo. The seminar was to talk about the Pre-Health Safety Review required by industrial establishments. The seminar was led by Frank Tomei, a Professional Engineer with over 25 years experience along with Kellie Harrison, who is a retired Ministry of Labour inspector. Over 70 people attended the event. Thanks to CRA for hosting the event in their new meeting room.